The mask of pregnancy: How can I fight back the discoloration?
We all learn about the "mask of pregnancy" or "melasma" in residency as a dermatologist. However, until I saw what it was doing to my own best-friend during her pregnancy, I didn't appreciate its full impact! To look blotchy all over the face... and having her picture taken while looking like that... my friend turned to me for help!
The bad news is that the most effective treatments for discoloration are not safe in pregnancy. These include the retinoids as well as hydroquinone. The good news is that there are several things one can do to fight back nonetheless!
How to fight back melasma in pregnancy:
1. Wear a great sunscreen every day. Even on a cloudy day there are UV rays! Choose SPF over 30 to help protect against melasma, and skin cancer.
2. Avoid the sun. Wear pretty hats. Sit in the shade. Avoid the hours of 11am-2pm for doing anything outdoors.
3. Use products that contain a Vitamin C and E. They are anti-oxidants
4. Buy products that contain glycolic and kojic acids, which are safe treatment options during pregnancy. Most dermatologists can get you a prescription strength formula.
5. Avoid any products that can cause irritation. Irritation causes inflammation. Inflammation damages the pigment cells, causing further discoloration.
After Pregnancy and breast-feeding is completed, there are many options to help you clear up any residual skin discoloration. An important consideration for treating melasma is the ethnicity, and the native skin tone of the patient. Ethnic people are harder to treat. Careful attention is required to prevent further damage to pigment cells, and therefore exacerbation of the melasma.
Treatments for melasma:
1. Sun protection. SPF. Cannot emphasize this enough!
2. Various creams such as hydroquinone, retinoid acid can now be combined or used in addition to the above.
3. Laser treatments. Some patients are not good candidates and can get worse melasma relapse after few months of treatment with lasers.
4. Various chemical peels of different chemicals and percentages can help fade away melasma and restore the glow of the skin.
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We all learn about the "mask of pregnancy" or "melasma" in residency as a dermatologist. However, until I saw what it was doing to my own best-friend during her pregnancy, I didn't appreciate its full impact! To look blotchy all over the face... and having her picture taken while looking like that... my friend turned to me for help!
The bad news is that the most effective treatments for discoloration are not safe in pregnancy. These include the retinoids as well as hydroquinone. The good news is that there are several things one can do to fight back nonetheless!
How to fight back melasma in pregnancy:
1. Wear a great sunscreen every day. Even on a cloudy day there are UV rays! Choose SPF over 30 to help protect against melasma, and skin cancer.
2. Avoid the sun. Wear pretty hats. Sit in the shade. Avoid the hours of 11am-2pm for doing anything outdoors.
3. Use products that contain a Vitamin C and E. They are anti-oxidants
4. Buy products that contain glycolic and kojic acids, which are safe treatment options during pregnancy. Most dermatologists can get you a prescription strength formula.
5. Avoid any products that can cause irritation. Irritation causes inflammation. Inflammation damages the pigment cells, causing further discoloration.
After Pregnancy and breast-feeding is completed, there are many options to help you clear up any residual skin discoloration. An important consideration for treating melasma is the ethnicity, and the native skin tone of the patient. Ethnic people are harder to treat. Careful attention is required to prevent further damage to pigment cells, and therefore exacerbation of the melasma.
Treatments for melasma:
1. Sun protection. SPF. Cannot emphasize this enough!
2. Various creams such as hydroquinone, retinoid acid can now be combined or used in addition to the above.
3. Laser treatments. Some patients are not good candidates and can get worse melasma relapse after few months of treatment with lasers.
4. Various chemical peels of different chemicals and percentages can help fade away melasma and restore the glow of the skin.
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